Gear drive helical pump



y 11, 1967 A. 0. DONALDSON GEAR DRIVE HELICAL PUMP Filed July 7, 1965 FIG 2 FIG 3 4.007241% flarzdaam //v v5 702 United States Patent 3,339,214 GEAR DRIVE HELICAL PUMP Archibald Donald Donaldson, 460 Hazeiwood Ave., 82m Francisco, Calif. 94127 Filed July 7, 1965, Ser. No. 470,005 1 Claim. (Cl. 10389) This invention relates to a helical made to rotate Within a cylindrical chamber by means of a driving gear on the outer surface of the cylinder, the inner surface of said cylinder being a part of the perimeter of said helical.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel helical pump of the character stated in which the direction of flow of the material being transported can be reversed by merely changing the rotation of the helical.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel elical pump in which pressure can be exerted on the material being transported by designating one port as an inlet and gradually decreasing the diameter of the cylinder, the helical and helical chambers, from that port to the other port, which naturally would be the outlet.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel helical pump in which pressure can be relieved in the material being transported by designating one port as an inlet and gradually increasing the diameter of the cylinder, the helical and helical chambers, from that port to the other port, which naturally would be the outlet.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel helical pump in which the rotation of the helical in the line of material flow has, in effect, an action which, in many cases, eliminates the necessity of a directional flow regulator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel helical pump which eliminates excessive pressure, permitting its use in the transportation of perishable materials suspended, in a liquid, such as in the food processing industry; the pumps usage will prove beneficial where sanitary conditions must prevail, allowing products heretofore handled under questionable, unsanitary conditions to be moved without subjection to unnecessary handling.

Other objects, advantages and features of the gear drive helical pump may appear from the accompanying drawing, the sub-joined detailed description and the appended claim.

On the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is looking at the top of the pump, with the principal parts in the interior shown by broken lines.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the gear drive helical pump as if were split along the centerline of the helical and helical chambers.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of one of the complementary housing halves of the pump.

FIGURE 4 is a top, or side, view showing only the cylinder, helical, and driven gear.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the gear drive helical pump consists of one, or more, helical indicated by the numeral 1 as an integral inner part of cylinder 2, part of whose outer surface contains a gear 3, and is also formed in a manner to accommodate the insertion of bearings 4 and 5 in their respective chambers 4a and 5a formed in abutting complementary housing halves and 11, on which the assembly rotates; each end of the helical projects beyond the end of the cylinder, and these ends are machined to close tolerances to allow freedom of rotation within their respective accurate cylindrical helical cavities 13 and 14.

The body of the pump is formed by two complementary abutting housing halves 10 and 11, suitably bolted together in a manner which is usual and well known in the art. A gasket 12 is provided to prevent leakage thru the joint of the assembled housing halves. The joining faces of the complementary housing halves are recessed in the manner shown, 4a and 5a, to accommodate the cylinder assembly, and the top portion of each is provided with a suitable cylindrical cavity to accommodate the drive shaft 6 and the bearings 55 and 9. To prevent leakage between the assembled abutting housing halves 1i) and 11, and the cylinder 2, gaskets 15 and 16 are provided. The entry of a geared drive shaft 6 is through seal 7, said shaft turning on bearings 8 and 9.

In operation, the geared drive shaft 6 is rotated from a suitable source of power, said rotation being transmitted thru gear 3 to the cylinder 2 causing the helical 1 to rotate, thereby sweeping the inner surfaces of the cylina drical helical cavities 13 and 14. The actual pumping ac tion occurs as the helical 1 rotates, causing the material being transported to change position by the pushing action of the moving helical. While the helical is rotating there is little or no restriction, or restraint on the helical and, as a result, there is minimal frictional loss, allowing the pump to operate in a highly economical manner. This frictional elimination during the travel of the helical is quite material, and the actual pumping action is enhanced by the sweep of the helical thru its respective helical cavity. It is evident that if it is desirable to change the direction of flow of the material being transported the fact can be accomplished by changing the rotation of the helical. It is also evident that if it is desirable to make a pump which will increase the pressure against the material being transported the objective can be accomplished by restricting the orifice of the helical cavity designated as the outlet port.

Having described my invention, I claim:

In a gear drive helical pump, said pump comprising a hollow cylindrical screw impeller, said impeller having axially spaced outer cylindrical supporting end surfaces,

a gear projecting radially outward from between said outer cylindrical supporting end surfaces for the rotation of said impeller, a helical screw depending from the inner surface of said hollow cylinder with the ends of said screw projecting axially from the opposite ends thereof, a housing for said impeller comprising a pair of complementary housing halves having abutting end faces, an axial cylindrical bore extending through said housing having an inner surface of suflicient diameter to receive the projecting ends of said helical screw, the abutting end faces of said housing being counter bored to define a cylindrical chamber for receiving the axially spaced outer cylindrical supporting end surfaces and gear therebetween of said hollow cylindrical screw impeller therein, a bearing means in said cylindrical bore engaging each supporting outer end surface of the impeller and drive means extending through said housing and engaging said gear for rotation of said impeller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 928,782 7/1909 Morrison 10389 952,969 3/1910 Whelan 10389 1,859,071 5/1932 Burger 103-89 2,085,282 6/ 1937 Waterval 103-94 2,263,515 11/1941 Pezzillo 10387 2,470,794 5/1949 Snyder 10394 2,656,809 10/1953 Frasure 10394 3,044,259 7/ 1962 Tuttle 103-94 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,689 12/ 1928 Netherlands.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

HENRY F. RADUAZO, Examiner. 

